Functions/GenXdev.Windows/Set-KnownFolderPath.ps1

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# define known folder guids for windows shell api
$knownFolders = @{
    '3DObjects'             = '31C0DD25-9439-4F12-BF41-7FF4EDA38722';
    'AddNewPrograms'        = 'de61d971-5ebc-4f02-a3a9-6c82895e5c04';
    'AdminTools'            = '724EF170-A42D-4FEF-9F26-B60E846FBA4F';
    'AppUpdates'            = 'a305ce99-f527-492b-8b1a-7e76fa98d6e4';
    'CDBurning'             = '9E52AB10-F80D-49DF-ACB8-4330F5687855';
    'ChangeRemovePrograms'  = 'df7266ac-9274-4867-8d55-3bd661de872d';
    'CommonAdminTools'      = 'D0384E7D-BAC3-4797-8F14-CBA229B392B5';
    'CommonOEMLinks'        = 'C1BAE2D0-10DF-4334-BEDD-7AA20B227A9D';
    'CommonPrograms'        = '0139D44E-6AFE-49F2-8690-3DAFCAE6FFB8';
    'CommonStartMenu'       = 'A4115719-D62E-491D-AA7C-E74B8BE3B067';
    'CommonStartup'         = '82A5EA35-D9CD-47C5-9629-E15D2F714E6E';
    'CommonTemplates'       = 'B94237E7-57AC-4347-9151-B08C6C32D1F7';
    'ComputerFolder'        = '0AC0837C-BBF8-452A-850D-79D08E667CA7';
    'ConflictFolder'        = '4bfefb45-347d-4006-a5be-ac0cb0567192';
    'ConnectionsFolder'     = '6F0CD92B-2E97-45D1-88FF-B0D186B8DEDD';
    'Contacts'              = '56784854-C6CB-462b-8169-88E350ACB882';
    'ControlPanelFolder'    = '82A74AEB-AEB4-465C-A014-D097EE346D63';
    'Cookies'               = '2B0F765D-C0E9-4171-908E-08A611B84FF6';
    'Desktop'               = 'B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641';
    'Documents'             = 'FDD39AD0-238F-46AF-ADB4-6C85480369C7';
    'Downloads'             = '374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B';
    'Favorites'             = '1777F761-68AD-4D8A-87BD-30B759FA33DD';
    'Fonts'                 = 'FD228CB7-AE11-4AE3-864C-16F3910AB8FE';
    'Games'                 = 'CAC52C1A-B53D-4edc-92D7-6B2E8AC19434';
    'GameTasks'             = '054FAE61-4DD8-4787-80B6-090220C4B700';
    'History'               = 'D9DC8A3B-B784-432E-A781-5A1130A75963';
    'InternetCache'         = '352481E8-33BE-4251-BA85-6007CAEDCF9D';
    'InternetFolder'        = '4D9F7874-4E0C-4904-967B-40B0D20C3E4B';
    'Links'                 = 'bfb9d5e0-c6a9-404c-b2b2-ae6db6af4968';
    'LocalAppData'          = 'F1B32785-6FBA-4FCF-9D55-7B8E7F157091';
    'LocalAppDataLow'       = 'A520A1A4-1780-4FF6-BD18-167343C5AF16';
    'LocalizedResourcesDir' = '2A00375E-224C-49DE-B8D1-440DF7EF3DDC';
    'Music'                 = '4BD8D571-6D19-48D3-BE97-422220080E43';
    'NetHood'               = 'C5ABBF53-E17F-4121-8900-86626FC2C973';
    'NetworkFolder'         = 'D20BEEC4-5CA8-4905-AE3B-BF251EA09B53';
    'OriginalImages'        = '2C36C0AA-5812-4b87-BFD0-4CD0DFB19B39';
    'PhotoAlbums'           = '69D2CF90-FC33-4FB7-9A0C-EBB0F0FCB43C';
    'Pictures'              = '33E28130-4E1E-4676-835A-98395C3BC3BB';
    'Playlists'             = 'DE92C1C7-837F-4F69-A3BB-86E631204A23';
    'PrintersFolder'        = '76FC4E2D-D6AD-4519-A663-37BD56068185';
    'PrintHood'             = '9274BD8D-CFD1-41C3-B35E-B13F55A758F4';
    'Profile'               = '5E6C858F-0E22-4760-9AFE-EA3317B67173';
    'ProgramData'           = '62AB5D82-FDC1-4DC3-A9DD-070D1D495D97';
    'ProgramFiles'          = '905e63b6-c1bf-494e-b29c-65b732d3d21a';
    'ProgramFilesX64'       = '6D809377-6AF0-444b-8957-A3773F02200E';
    'ProgramFilesX86'       = '7C5A40EF-A0FB-4BFC-874A-C0F2E0B9FA8E';
    'ProgramFilesCommon'    = 'F7F1ED05-9F6D-47A2-AAAE-29D317C6F066';
    'ProgramFilesCommonX64' = '6365D5A7-0F0D-45E5-87F6-0DA56B6A4F7D';
    'ProgramFilesCommonX86' = 'DE974D24-D9C6-4D3E-BF91-F4455120B917';
    'Programs'              = 'A77F5D77-2E2B-44C3-A6A2-ABA601054A51';
    'Public'                = 'DFDF76A2-C82A-4D63-906A-5644AC457385';
    'PublicDesktop'         = 'C4AA340D-F20F-4863-AFEF-F87EF2E6BA25';
    'PublicDocuments'       = 'ED4824AF-DCE4-45A8-81E2-FC7965083634';
    'PublicDownloads'       = '3D644C9B-1FB8-4f30-9B45-F670235F79C0';
    'PublicGameTasks'       = 'DEBF2536-E1A8-4c59-B6A2-414586476AEA';
    'PublicMusic'           = '3214FAB5-9757-4298-BB61-92A9DEAA44FF';
    'PublicPictures'        = 'B6EBFB86-6907-413C-9AF7-4FC2ABF07CC5';
    'PublicVideos'          = '2400183A-6185-49FB-A2D8-4A392A602BA3';
    'QuickLaunch'           = '52a4f021-7b75-48a9-9f6b-4b87a210bc8f';
    'Recent'                = 'AE50C081-EBD2-438A-8655-8A092E34987A';
    'RecycleBinFolder'      = 'B7534046-3ECB-4C18-BE4E-64CD4CB7D6AC';
    'ResourceDir'           = '8AD10C31-2ADB-4296-A8F7-E4701232C972';
    'RoamingAppData'        = '3EB685DB-65F9-4CF6-A03A-E3EF65729F3D';
    'SampleMusic'           = 'B250C668-F57D-4EE1-A63C-290EE7D1AA1F';
    'SamplePictures'        = 'C4900540-2379-4C75-844B-64E6FAF8716B';
    'SamplePlaylists'       = '15CA69B3-30EE-49C1-ACE1-6B5EC372AFB5';
    'SampleVideos'          = '859EAD94-2E85-48AD-A71A-0969CB56A6CD';
    'SavedGames'            = '4C5C32FF-BB9D-43b0-B5B4-2D72E54EAAA4';
    'SavedSearches'         = '7d1d3a04-debb-4115-95cf-2f29da2920da';
    'SEARCH_CSC'            = 'ee32e446-31ca-4aba-814f-a5ebd2fd6d5e';
    'SEARCH_MAPI'           = '98ec0e18-2098-4d44-8644-66979315a281';
    'SearchHome'            = '190337d1-b8ca-4121-a639-6d472d16972a';
    'SendTo'                = '8983036C-27C0-404B-8F08-102D10DCFD74';
    'SidebarDefaultParts'   = '7B396E54-9EC5-4300-BE0A-2482EBAE1A26';
    'SidebarParts'          = 'A75D362E-50FC-4fb7-AC2C-A8BEAA314493';
    'StartMenu'             = '625B53C3-AB48-4EC1-BA1F-A1EF4146FC19';
    'Startup'               = 'B97D20BB-F46A-4C97-BA10-5E3608430854';
    'SyncManagerFolder'     = '43668BF8-C14E-49B2-97C9-747784D784B7';
    'SyncResultsFolder'     = '289a9a43-be44-4057-a41b-587a76d7e7f9';
    'SyncSetupFolder'       = '0F214138-B1D3-4a90-BBA9-27CBC0C5389A';
    'System'                = '1AC14E77-02E7-4E5D-B744-2EB1AE5198B7';
    'SystemX86'             = 'D65231B0-B2F1-4857-A4CE-A8E7C6EA7D27';
    'Templates'             = 'A63293E8-664E-48DB-A079-DF759E0509F7';
    'TreeProperties'        = '5b3749ad-b49f-49c1-83eb-15370fbd4882';
    'UserProfiles'          = '0762D272-C50A-4BB0-A382-697DCD729B80';
    'UsersFiles'            = 'f3ce0f7c-4901-4acc-8648-d5d44b04ef8f';
    'Videos'                = '18989B1D-99B5-455B-841C-AB7C74E4DDFC';
    'Windows'               = 'F38BF404-1D43-42F2-9305-67DE0B28FC23';
}

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<#
.SYNOPSIS
Modifies the physical path of a Windows known folder.
 
.DESCRIPTION
Uses the Windows Shell32 API to relocate system folders like Documents,
Downloads, Desktop, or other known Windows folders to a new location. The
function validates the target path exists, looks up the folder's unique GUID
from the comprehensive known folders registry, and uses the SHSetKnownFolderPath
API to perform the relocation. Common use cases include moving user folders to
a different drive for space management or organization. Exercise caution when
moving system-critical folders as this may affect system stability.
 
.PARAMETER KnownFolder
The name of the known folder to relocate. Supports all Windows known folders
including user folders (Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Pictures, Videos,
Music), system folders (Windows, System, ProgramFiles), and special folders
(Recent, Favorites, SendTo, etc.). Use with caution as moving certain system
folders may cause instability.
 
.PARAMETER Path
The new physical file system path where the known folder should be located.
The path must exist before attempting the move operation. The function will
throw an error if the path is invalid or inaccessible.
 
.EXAMPLE
Set-KnownFolderPath -KnownFolder 'Documents' -Path 'D:\UserDocs'
 
.EXAMPLE
Set-KnownFolderPath Downloads 'E:\Downloads'
#>

function Set-KnownFolderPath {

    [CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess = $true, ConfirmImpact = "High")]
    param(
        ###################################################################
        [Parameter(
            Position = 0,
            Mandatory = $true,
            HelpMessage = "Known folder to modify"
        )]
        [ValidateSet('3DObjects', 'AddNewPrograms', 'AdminTools',
            'AppUpdates', 'CDBurning', 'ChangeRemovePrograms',
            'CommonAdminTools', 'CommonOEMLinks', 'CommonPrograms',
            'CommonStartMenu', 'CommonStartup', 'CommonTemplates',
            'ComputerFolder', 'ConflictFolder', 'ConnectionsFolder',
            'Contacts', 'ControlPanelFolder', 'Cookies', 'Desktop',
            'Documents', 'Downloads', 'Favorites', 'Fonts', 'Games',
            'GameTasks', 'History', 'InternetCache', 'InternetFolder',
            'Links', 'LocalAppData', 'LocalAppDataLow',
            'LocalizedResourcesDir', 'Music', 'NetHood',
            'NetworkFolder', 'OriginalImages', 'PhotoAlbums',
            'Pictures', 'Playlists', 'PrintersFolder', 'PrintHood',
            'Profile', 'ProgramData', 'ProgramFiles', 'ProgramFilesX64',
            'ProgramFilesX86', 'ProgramFilesCommon',
            'ProgramFilesCommonX64', 'ProgramFilesCommonX86',
            'Programs', 'Public', 'PublicDesktop', 'PublicDocuments',
            'PublicDownloads', 'PublicGameTasks', 'PublicMusic',
            'PublicPictures', 'PublicVideos', 'QuickLaunch', 'Recent',
            'RecycleBinFolder', 'ResourceDir', 'RoamingAppData',
            'SampleMusic', 'SamplePictures', 'SamplePlaylists',
            'SampleVideos', 'SavedGames', 'SavedSearches', 'SEARCH_CSC',
            'SEARCH_MAPI', 'SearchHome', 'SendTo', 'SidebarDefaultParts',
            'SidebarParts', 'StartMenu', 'Startup', 'SyncManagerFolder',
            'SyncResultsFolder', 'SyncSetupFolder', 'System',
            'SystemX86', 'Templates', 'TreeProperties', 'UserProfiles',
            'UsersFiles', 'Videos', 'Windows')]
        [string] $KnownFolder,
        ###################################################################
        [Parameter(
            Position = 1,
            Mandatory = $true,
            HelpMessage = "New path for the known folder"
        )]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
        [Alias("FullName")]
        [string] $Path
        ###################################################################
    )

    begin {

        # check if shell32 api type is already loaded to avoid redefining
        $type = ([System.Management.Automation.PSTypeName]`
                'KnownFolders.SHSetKnownFolderPathPS').Type

        if (-not $type) {

            # define windows api function signature for shell32.dll import
            $signature = @'
[DllImport("shell32.dll")]
public extern static int SHSetKnownFolderPath(ref Guid folderId, uint flags,
    IntPtr token, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string path);
'@


            # load the shell32 api function into powershell runtime
            $type = Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Add-Type `
                -MemberDefinition $signature `
                -Namespace 'KnownFolders' `
                -Name 'SHSetKnownFolderPathPS' `
                -PassThru
        }

        Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Write-Verbose (
            "Starting known folder path change operation"
        )

        Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Write-Verbose (
            "Target folder: $KnownFolder"
        )

        Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Write-Verbose (
            "New path: $Path"
        )
    }

    process {

        # verify the destination path exists before attempting to move
        if (-not (Microsoft.PowerShell.Management\Test-Path `
                -Path $Path `
                -PathType Container)) {

            $msg = "Could not find folder path: $Path"

            Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Write-Error -Message $msg

            throw [System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException] $msg
        }

        # lookup the folder's unique guid from our hash table
        $knownFolderId = $knownFolders[$KnownFolder]

        Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Write-Verbose (
            "Found folder GUID: $knownFolderId"
        )

        if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess($Path, "Set $KnownFolder location")) {

            # call shell32 api to perform the folder relocation
            # parameters: folderId (ref), flags (0), token (0), new path
            $result = $type::SHSetKnownFolderPath([ref]$knownFolderId, 0, 0,
                $Path)

            Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Write-Verbose (
                "Shell API call completed with result: $result"
            )

            return $result
        }
    }

    end {
    }
}
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